Fuel for internal-combustion engines



Patented Dec. 16, 1924.

UNITED STATES JEAN FELIX RAUL DE LA BIBOISIERE, 0F BERLIN, GERMANY.

FUEL FOR INTERNAL-COMBUSTIOTV ENGINES.

No Drawing.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JEAN FELIX PAUL DEG LA RIBorsIERn, a citizen of the French Republic, and residing at Bregenzerstrasse 15, Berlin, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Fuels for Internal-Combustion Engines, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to fuels for internal combustion engines, by which expression is meant all engines in which combustion gases are employed as the working fluid.

Generally speaking, combustion materials of high boiling point or high flash point are unsuitable for use as fuels for the operation of engines of the kind in question and particularly those to the combustion chamber of which a mixture of a fuel proper and a comburent (usually air) is admitted.

It is true that in certain engines, for instance in Diesel engines and semi-Diesel engines, liquid fuel of high boiling point can be used, but even with such engines it is not possible to employ materials whose imflammability falls below a certain limit.

With the internal combustion engines of automobile vehicles, in'particlar, difficulties arise if it be attempted to use liquid fuels of relatively high boiling point. For instance, with them, owing to incomplete combustion sooting of the sparking plugs takes place and the valves are liable to stick.

Numerous compositions comprising liquids of varying degree of volatility have been proposed to be employed as fuels, some of which have included ether and like highly inflammable bodies for promoting the combustion of constituents of relatively high boiling point or of a low degree of inflammability contained in the mixtures.

Thus for instance, mixtures of petroleum hydrocarbons of relatively high boiling point with hydrocarbons of lower boiling point containing ether have been proposed to be so used. Such mixtures are open to the objection that the material which is intended to facilitate the combustion of the other constituents, being highly volatile, may evaporate from the mixture during storage or use. Y

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved fuel for internal combustion engines including constituents of relatively high boiling point and ether.

The invention is based upon the observation that the presence of phenol bodies in'the Application filed September 24, 1923. Serial No. 664L586.

fuel mixture enables highly inflammable constituents, such as ethers, to be retained in the fuel. mixture.

A fuel according to the present invention therefore comprises in addition to a considerable proportion of high or high boiling point, and optionally a proportion of constituents of lower boiling point, a small proportion of an ether adapted to promote the combustion or ignition of such constituents together with a proportion of a phenolic body adapted to retain the ether in the fuel mixture.

Normally, ethyl ether or methyl ether will be employed in accordance with the'invention.

The materials of relatively high boiling point derived from crude petroleum, coal tar,'brown coal tar, shale oil, shale tar, peat tar, wood tar and similar materials, particular such materials as consists of or contain considerable proportions of constituents boiling above 160 C. and usually from 180 or 200 C. upwards, may be comprised in the compositions in accordance with the invention.

The invention is more particularly con cerned with fuels comprising bodies derived from the materials indicated which are of, or contain, relatively large proportions of constituents of a lower degree of inflammability or have a higher luminating oil derived from petroleum or shale oil.

In certain instances, fuels in accordance with the invention may comprise relatively viscous and impure products derived from crude petroleum and the other materials above referred to.

and v constituents of relatively flash point than il- When the product is intended for use in the engines of automobile vehicles, in accordance with the invention the composition may comprise, as indicated above, bodies of relatively low boiling point such, for instance, as those commonly used in the operation of internal combustion engines in addition to constituents of relatively high boiling point. In particular, petrol, benzine, benzol, alcohol, hydrogenated hydrocarbons, such as the material sold under the registered trade marks Tetralinei, Dekaline, h drogenated naphthols and the like may e mentioned.

The employment of'bodies such as petrol, benzine, benzol, methyl or ethyl alcohol, or the other hydrogenated bodies above men ether .to the coal 6 mixture may be varied 10 phenol or cresol apparently form molecular if the oil of high boiling poi fig oraddition compounds with ether and if desired such compounds may be first formed and added as such to the other constitucuts of the mixture.

The formation of these molecular or addition compounds can, for instance, be secured by the introduction of ethers into oils the like already containing bodies comprising hydroxyl groups. In other words, used contain such bodies the addition of rther quantities thereof may be unnecessary, or the proportion added will be correspondingly reduced.

Alternativel the compounds in question maybe forme separately and added to the .other constituents of the fuel mixture.

The phenolic bodies may be added to the mixtureof heavy oil' and the body adapted to promote the combustion of the same, for

oil,- the bodyadapted to promote its com- -b example ether, or to the mixture of heavy bustion andthe mat'erial'of relatively low boiling .point in a proportion usually below 5 per cent.

40 ever, with ether of asphaltic or resinous bodies more than one body is The-proportion of volatile-or highly inflammable material present in the mixture will depend to some extent upon its intend-- ed application; generally speaking, howthe proportion is usually ,below 10 per cent and most frequently between 2 per cent and 5 per cent.

The additions to the heavy oils or oils of high boiling point may cause the separation and it maybe some cases where added to mix the bodies with the heavy .oils in a definite sefound advantageous in i ,quence andto filter the final product or the fmixtur'es obtainedafter each of the additions has been effected.

For instance, when preparing a mixture from heavy coal taroil, ether and benzine, -it willbe. found desirable first to add the tar oil, then to introduce the benzine and finaHy to filter'the resulting l ance with t1culars are given mlxture.

As an example of a com osition in accordthe lnventlon t e following par- Coal tar oil of a specific gravity of 1.05

.. .a material boilingabove 350 to 1.1," which contains about 25' per cent of C. is mixed with an equal proportion of benzine or benzol, and to the mature; is added ethyl ether desirable when the parts brown coal as are ordinarily above 160 0,, a small phatic ether of low boiling point adaptedto promote the.- ignition 'tion of a monohydroxy phenol adapt to retain theether in the mixture.

ether adapted to promote ignite satisfactorily and burn completely without any difliculties in all internal combustion engines to which a combustible mixture, that is to say, a mixture of fuel and material for supporting combustion .of the material is supplled.

As a further example the following may be given :50 parts of a hydrocarbon of relatively'low boiling point are. mixed with 47 parts of a hydrocarbon oil of high boiling point and 3 parts of ethyl ether 5 parts or less of Another examp and usually henol or cresol. e is the following :60 tar oil, 40 parts benzine and 5 parts ether and usually 5 parts or less of phenol or cresol.

The proportion of phenol or cresol or oils containing the same added will depend as above indicated upon the proportion of these bodies present in the major constitu-,

cuts of. the mixture. In the above examples it is assumed that the hydrocarbon material is free from phenols;

With regard to fuels in accordance with the invention for semi-Diesel or Diesel engines it is merel necessary to indicate that they will maiv y consist of oils of high gines or even higher boiling pointor lower iii-flammability and will contain 1 to 2 per cent of ether, or but little, other material of a higher degree of inflammability than the material forming their main constituent. 3;; Phenols or other bodies will as suclig or as molecular or addition compounds with ether, be added mixtures. 4

As will be understood, when the plural is employed herein-in reference to the constituents of the mixture or the sources of such constituents, the singular is included and similarly when the sin ar is used in like connectionthe plural-a so is included.

Having now'descnbed my invention, what I claim as new and'desireto-secure by Let'- I ters Patentisz 1. An bustion engines comprising a, considerable proportion of'liquid hydrocarbons boiling proportion of an alithereof and a pro r oiling point or low inflammability, such.

used as fuels for such en- T improved, fuel for internal com- I to or included in these improved fuel for internal com bustion engines comprising a considerable proportion above 0., a small pro rtion of diethy of liquid hydrocarbons'boilin' lgnition there 1 of and a proportion of a monohydroxy phenol adapted to retain the ether in the mixture.

3. An improved fuel for internal combustion engines comprising a considerable. proportion of liquid hydrocarbons boiling above 160 C., a proportion of a liquid fuel of high volatility, a small proportion of a dialkyl ether of low boiling point and a proportion of a monohydroxy phenol adapted to retain the ether in the mixture.

'4. An improved fuel for internal comoustion engines comprising at least 30 per cent of liquid hydrocarbons boiling above 160 (3., a small proportion of an ether oflow boiling point, a small proportion of a monohydroxy phenol adapted to retain the ether in the mixture, and a proportion of liquid hydrocarbons of low boiling point forming the balance of the mixture.

5., An improved fuel for' internal com bustion engines comprising at least 30 per cent of liquid hydrocarbons boiling above 160 CJ, 3 per cent of diethyl ether, 52 per cent of liquid hydrocarbons of low boiling point, and five parts of phenol.

6. An improved fuel for internal combustion engines, comprising at least 30 per cent of liquid hydrocarbons boiling above 160 0., 3 per cent of diethyl ether, 52 per cent of liquid hydrocarbons of low boiling point, and five parts of phenol in the form of a molecular compound with the ether.

7. An improved fuel for internal combustion engines, comprising a considerable proportion of liquid hydrocarbons boiling above 160 (1, a small proportion of an ether adapted to promote the combustion or ignition thereof, and a proportion of la phenolic body adapted to retain the ether in the mixture.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this speclfication.

JEAN FELEX PAUL de ILA RlBOlSlERI-I. 

